Pocomoke City Mayor and Council

Pocomoke to secure mortgage for renovation

Written by

Bill Kerbin

POCOMOKE CITY -- The Pocomoke mayor and council voted to approve an emergency resolution to secure a $1.08 million mortgage from Shore Bank for the acquisition and renovation of the building at 1500 Market St. for the new police department headquarters.

The loan will include $532,500 for the acquisition of the property and $550,000 for the renovations of the building. Last month the council approved the bid by Beauchamp Construction for the renovation work. The bid was for $468,400, which was to be "value engineered" to reduce the costs.

Mayor Bruce Morrison reported that the Delmarva Discovery Center had requested additional help to cover the utilities at the center. Currently the town is giving the center $15,000 per year toward the cost of the utilities. However, according to Brian Garrett, the executive director, the cost for power is approximately $25,000 per year.

The council voted to conditionally approve the increase in the reimbursement but wanted to see the accounts of the center. Councilman Robert Clarke voted against the increase, saying he wanted instead to work on controlling the center's costs.

Audit report

Saying that the financial position of the town had improved, Mike Kleger, vice president of P.K.S., town auditors, reported that they had given Pocomoke City an unqualified opinion, which is the highest opinion that an auditor can give. City Manager Russell W. Blake reported that Mona Van Ess does an "excellent job" in taking care of the town's bookkeeping.

Kleger reported that the town's fund balance had increased $199,450 to a total of $668,275, or 15 percent of the town's operating expenses. The increase would have been even higher if the town had not had to transfer $491,000 to the water and sewer fund and $60,000 to the ambulance fund. The ambulance deficit was an improvement from the previous year, when the town had to transfer $107,000 into the fund.

The council passed a second emergency resolution to apply for a Community Legacy Grant of $148,000 from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. If successful, approximate amounts would be awarded to the following areas: Mar-Va Theater, $15,000; Costen House, $28,000; Delmarva Discovery Center for a generator system, $35,000; and downtown business development incentives, $70,000.

Blake suggested that the downtown business money could be used for business owners to make improvements and to help new businesses locate downtown. He said that maybe it could be used to pay the first few months rent for a new business or maybe for a deferred loan. He added that Angela Manos, the downtown coordinator, could work with the owners to find new businesses that would make a good fit downtown.

Awarding bids

The council voted to award a bid to Hill's Electric for the replacement of three four-inch valves and three six inch valves at the water treatment plant at a cost of $11,836. He said that some of the valves were leaking and needed replacing.

The other bid was for the demolition of the house at 707 Clarke Ave. and was awarded to Harry White at a cost of $10,000.

Under other business, the council voted to give Samaritan Shelter a round of golf for four players including a cart to be used in their Christmas gift basket; to allow the Chamber of Commerce the use of the Winter Quarters Golf Course for its annual tournament on Oct. 21; and to purchase an ad in the Pocomoke High School yearbook.

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